Sally Nuamah: Leading for the Future
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These residents are not just advancing their individual projects; they’re building bridges across disciplines, geographies, and perspectives, and building solutions that will shape our collective future.”
Eason Jordan
Rockefeller Foundation senior vice president for connected leaders
IPR social policy expert Sally Nuamah received two major international awards. She is setting out on a three-year journey as one of 118 Young Global Leaders selected by the World Economic Forum. The Rockefeller Foundation also awarded her a 2026 Bellagio Center residency.
Young Global Leaders Class of 2026
“The Class of 2026 reflects a remarkable generation of people who are already expanding what leadership can look like across government, business, academia, civil society, and culture,” said Ida Jeng Christensen, who heads the Forum of Young Global Leaders.
All under the age of 40 and representing 55 counties, class members will take part in opportunities for interactive learning and cross-disciplinary exchange with their peers. The forum established the program to develop forward-thinking leaders who can dig into pressing issues with “collaboration, insight, and resolve.” They will also have opportunities to provide input that will inform the World Economic Forum’s strategic initiatives.
Nuamah, who is Ghanaian American, joins other global innovators and leaders such as Lithuania’s Tomas Okmanas, co-founder and CEO of Nord Security, and Dominican American Thea LaFond, who won gold in the women’s triple jump at the 2024 Paris Olympics.
The Young Global Leaders Forum has formed more than 1,400 young leaders—who are current heads of state, CEOs, educators, artists, nonprofit leaders, entrepreneurs, and others—since it started in 2004.
Nuamah’s research explores how public policies shape democratic participation in the United States and across the African diaspora. She has published two award‑winning books: The first, How Girls Achieve (Harvard University Press, 2019), examines how unsafe and unequal educational environments limit the civic development of Black girls in the U.S., Ghana, and South Africa. The second, Closed for Democracy (Cambridge University Press, 2022), explores how mass public school closures weaken Black Americans’ relationships with democratic institutions.
2026 Bellagio Center Residency
In March, the Rockefeller Foundation selected Nuamah as one of 87 policymakers, scholars, authors, artists, scientists, and practitioners for a prestigious 2026 Bellagio Center residency.
During her 26-day residency on the serene shores of Lake Como, Italy, she will use her time to examine African cultural production, sovereignty, and partisanship, as well as networking and collaborating with her fellow residents.
Organizers describe the residency as a time for residents “to unleash their creativity and advance groundbreaking work” across one of the seven critical disciplines. These include strengthening democracy and civic engagement, advancing economic opportunity, and reimagining health.
“These residents are not just advancing their individual projects; they’re building bridges across disciplines, geographies, and perspectives, and building solutions that will shape our collective future,” said Eason Jordan, Rockefeller’s senior vice president for connected leaders.
Nuamah will join a network of over 5,000 previous residents from more than 140 countries, including 18 Nobel Laureates. They include changemakers such as U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg, former Deputy Chief Justice of South Africa Dikgang Moseneke, former U.S. Secretary of State Henry Kissinger, author Maya Angelou, and former President of Ireland Mary Robinson.
“I'm humbled to be in their esteemed company,” Nuamah said.
Read more about Sally Nuamah and her work.
Photo credit: Steve Drey
Published: April 29, 2026.
